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 Friday, 03. September | Saturday, 04. September | Sunday, 05. September | Workcamp 6.-10. September 

THE COMMUNITY FIRST MILE: STRATEGIES FOR BROADBAND ACCESS

The "Community First Mile" explores strategies for broadband access, from social vision to technology options and regulatory obstacles.

Facilitator: John Wilson (ABC Access to Broadband Campaign; Arwain.net)

Panel:

  • Malcolm Matson (UK telecoms pioneer; Founder of COLT ; OpenPlanet)
  • Julian Priest (Co-founder Consume.net; informal.org)
  • Arun Mehta (Radiophony, India)
  • Other participants tbc

Exploring vision, experiences, and strategy:

  • Fired by a vision of advanced communications and community empowerment, grassroots activists have deployed off-the-shelf, no-licence wireless technologies to address the telco "last mile" problem in both rural and urban scenarios. "Wi-Fi" has led to the Wireless-Fibre vision for the Digital Commons.
  • But whither the open communications vision as we look to the challenges ahead: the strategy of incumbent telcos (ADSL and FTTH), mobile operators, Wimax?
  • We advocate an international platform for Open Spectrum. We engage the vision of Gigabit or Bust 2010.